Stephens Sizzles In Sprints, Walker Runs Past Hobbies
By John Harney
LAKE CITY, FL (8/7) - The Florida Sprint Car Association brought their thunder back to North Florida Speedway with a 25-lap main event. Scott Anderson became the first real contender when he gained the lead on the third lap.
While Anderson was enjoying his moment beneath the lights, a pair of teenagers were charging from the back of the starting lineup. Matt Kurtz and Dakotah Stephens, who have both earned victories at NFS in 2006, were making forward progress as they battled each other on the 3/8-mile oval.
Stephens emerged as the stronger of the two when he passed three cars on the eighth lap, assumed secong on lap ten, and successfully wrestled the lead from Anderson on the 13th circuit.
Allen Kaluzniak momentarily appeared to be a match for Stephens when he nabbed second one lap later, however, as the race wound down it was all Stephens as he won going away. Stephens' Ford-powered #79 was followed by Kaluzniak, Otto Scrape, Danny Jones, and Kurtz.
Dean Jarvis outdragged polesitter Gerald Lewis for the early Pure Stock lead. Michael Havard wasted no time as he immediately fell in behind Jarvis for second. Jarvis was doing well until a lapped car blocked his progress midway through the event which allowed Havard to nose past for the top spot.
Jarvis kept pace with Havard and was soon joined by Rick Reed, who looked to have the fastest car. Jarvis and Reed tangled on the final lap and while Jarvis was able to maintain second, Reed was knocked out of the top five. The finishing order was Havard, Jarvis, Shawn Taylor, Lewis, and Clay McRae. Despite the many bumps and bruises delivered throughout, this race went from start to finish without requiring a caution flag.
A small but strong field of Hobby Stocks raced for fifteen laps. John Ward and Scotty Nolan waged trench warfare for second as initial leader Heath Walker faded into the distance. When the dust settled Walker ran off with his second win of the season and padded his divisional points lead. The rest of the top five consisted of Ward, Scotty Nolan, Timmy Roach, and Tim Nolan. A large turnout of cars is expected next week when the fourth race of the Brown Motorsports Summer Spectacular takes place.
Limited Sportsman cars returned and Brian Scott raced from the pole to the lead on the first lap. The best race was for second between Travis Saunders and Chris Harris. Their score was settled on the 11th lap when Harris' #18 gave out. With no further obstacles in his path, Saunders was able to mount a late challenge to Scott but ran out of laps. Scott earned the win and enhanced his lead in the Limited Sportsman point chase. Scott and Saunders were followed by Allen Cribbs, Dewey Hall, and Harris.
Dean Sands once again dominated in Street Stocks. Sands took the lead going into the first turn, emerged on the backstretch unscathed as the leader, and led every lap in their caution-free main event. Following Sands en route to his ninth win was Dewey Hall, Marvin Hassell, and Cliff Crawford.
The Brown Motorsports Summer Spectacular for the Hobby Stocks is one of two headline attractions this Saturday Night at North Florida Speedway.
The other special is a $500 to win race for the Pure Stocks. Also racing that evening will be Modifieds and Street Stocks. For information, log on to www.northfloridaspeedway.com.